Telecommuting On the Rise

As gas prices climb and network technology becomes commonplace, more businesses are letting their employees work remotely, according to OfficeTeam.

In a survey of 150 business managers, 69 percent said it was common for employees to telecommute, the Menlo Park, Calif.-based staffing firm reported. Meanwhile, 82 percent said they expected the number of remote workers to increase in the next five years.

Dave Willmer, executive director of OfficeTeam, attributed the trend to rising fuel prices that are prompting workers to find alternatives to daily commutes.

"Technology has also made it easier for employees to work remotely when traveling for business," Willmer said in a statement.

A study conducted last year by Fort Lauderdale-based Citrix found nearly a fourth of American workers and 41 percent of small-business owners regularly work remotely. In the same survey, business owners considered telecommuting a more significant employee perk than stock options or workplace childcare.